country bumpkin

Chapter 357 The Age of First Love

Yunya worked at the small restaurant for half a year, during which time there were many trivial matters, but she was able to persevere.

What she found most interesting were the young men working at the Sichuan restaurant next door.

One was a boy named Ma Yong, who was about 1.7 meters tall, with a buzz cut, average looks, and a few pimples on his face.

One was Yin Zhuoshuai, three years younger than Yun Ya. He was just a kid, having dropped out of school at 15 to work. He wasn't very tall, but he was handsome. He had fair skin, and his face was flawless.

But his ears are different from normal people's; his left ear looks like a cleft lip, with a small opening outside the cochlea. It looks quite frightening.

Previously, there was a boy named Song Wenhai and a girl named Qi Yajun working at this "Sichuan restaurant". They started dating after working there for a month and even moved in together.

During their passionate relationship, the two were always late, and the boss got angry and fired them. Later, Ma Yong and Yin Zhuoshuai were hired.

Yunya's restaurant sells everyday dishes, while the "Sichuan restaurant" serves only Sichuan cuisine.

Yunya sometimes visits their place and sees their unwashed plates covered in bright red chili oil, so she assumes that all the vegetables sold there are chili-based.

She was reluctant to go into the restaurant to try the Sichuan cuisine, but Ma Yong had mentioned that they also had sweet dishes. However, the spicy dishes were selling like hotcakes.

There was another girl named Wang Ruixi in Yunya's shop. She had a nice name but wasn't pretty.

She has single eyelids and small, beady eyes, a long face, and freckles. Her height and build are similar to Yun Ya's, but her facial features are what make her less attractive.

Ma Yong and Yi Zhuoshuai didn't like talking to her, mainly because the girl was ugly and liked to cling to them.

Perhaps the less attention she receives from others, the more she craves it!

When Ma Yong finished his get off work at noon and was about to leave, he came to find Yun Ya and asked her to go for a walk in the nearby park together.

Yun Ya didn't want to go, but it would be awkward to refuse outright, so she agreed anyway. Yun Ya figured that talking for a little while wouldn't take up much time.

Ma Yong was overjoyed that Yun Ya agreed to go and talk to her. He quickly packed up all the remaining tasks and, filled with excitement and anticipation, went to the park with Yun Ya.

Upon arriving at the park, Yun Ya and Ma Yong parked their bicycles by the roadside and began to walk slowly along the park's paths, the atmosphere somewhat silent.

Yunya would occasionally try to start a conversation, chatting about the shop's business or the recent weather. Ma Yong responded absentmindedly, his eyes frequently glancing at Yunya, the words he mustered to say getting stuck in his throat.

Just as Yunya thought it was just an ordinary walk and was about to suggest going back, Ma Yong suddenly stopped, his face flushed, and finally he confessed: "Yunya, I like you. I've liked you since the first time I saw you."

Yun Ya was stunned, never expecting Ma Yong to confess his feelings to her. Looking at Ma Yong's expectant yet nervous eyes, she didn't know how to respond.

After a moment of silence, Yunya said softly, "Ma Yong, I am very grateful for your care all this time, but right now I just want to focus on my work and haven't thought about relationships."

Ma Yong's face turned deathly pale instantly, and the light in his eyes dimmed.

He lowered his head, his voice choked with emotion: "I know, I was being presumptuous."

Yun Ya felt a little sorry for him and patted his shoulder: "We're still friends." Ma Yong forced a smile and nodded, and the two walked back silently.

The route was the same, but Ma Yong felt that the way back was much longer than the way he came, and a feeling of shame lingered in his ears.

The two walked silently, one after the other. Suddenly, Ma Yong turned back to Yun Ya and said, "Sun Yun Ya, my family is well-off; I'm a good choice. If you're willing to be with me, I'll do whatever you say..."

Yun Ya raised her hand to interrupt his rambling, and said firmly, "I'm only 18 years old now, it's too early to talk about marriage. I don't want to date right now, I just want to work and earn money."

Ma Yong said nothing more, and dejectedly pushed his bicycle away. Yun Ya also got on her bicycle and rode home.

On the way, she reflected on what had just happened. It was so sudden that she hadn't had time to think about it.

Now, thinking about her own romantic relationships, Yunya realizes that she has a good feeling about Yi Zhuoshuai.

Although the child is good-looking, she is so much younger than me, so I can't have any ideas about her.

As time went on, she could sense that both Ma Yong and Yi Zhuoshuai were interested in her.

It's not that Yun Ya is particularly beautiful; it's just that Wang Ruixi is there for comparison, which makes Yun Ya's features seem more regular and attractive.

When Yunya got home, she went to play with her girlfriends and told her sister-in-law Zhang Haiyan about what had happened.

Zhang Haiyan also felt that it was too early to start dating, and that she would meet someone better later.

The two girls shared their little secrets with each other, and soon the room was filled only with giggles and a shy atmosphere.

At 3 p.m., Yun Ya went back to work, but before any customers arrived, Yi Zhuoshuai pulled her to the courtyard behind their restaurant.

Behind the restaurant was a small courtyard, piled high with empty wine bottles, beverage bottles, and cardboard boxes. There was also a makeshift toilet at the far end.

Despite his small stature, Yi Zhuoshuai possessed considerable strength. He pulled Yun Ya over, checked that no one was around, and then grabbed Yun Ya's hand.

His eyes were filled with panic, and he spoke haltingly.

"Sun...Yun...Ya, he...Ma Yong, did Ma Yong ask you out?"

Yunya looked completely bewildered. "No! What date? He just took a walk with me for a while. That's not a date."

Yi Zhuoshuai's anxious mood improved considerably, and he said eagerly, "Sun Yunya, I...I like you! Can we date?"

After speaking, Yi Zhuoshuai blushed and lowered his head, not daring to look at Yun Ya. Yun Ya was overjoyed; she knew her intuition was right—that damned sixth sense. But she didn't know how to answer Yi Zhuoshuai's question.

This was a difficult answer because she also had feelings for Yi Zhuoshuai. But she knew she was several years older than him, and the two of them would never end up together.

Even if he doesn't mind being too old now, what about later? When Yun Ya turns 30, Yi Zhuoshuai will only be 27, which is a dangerous age for women.

Men, on the other hand, are at a mature and stable age. No man seems to prefer older men; they all prefer younger ones. So what can Yunya do at this point?

Therefore, Yunya decided not to give herself a chance to make mistakes and to be firm in her will.

She replied, "I'm sorry, we're not a good match."

Yi Zhuoshuai still refused to give up. He stubbornly asked, "Why? Is it because my family is poor, or am I not good enough? You...you don't like me?"

Yun Ya answered decisively, "No, it's not."